Periodontal (gum) diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis, are serious infections that, left untreated, can lead to tooth loss. Periodontal disease can affect one tooth or many teeth. Periodontal disease begins when the bacteria in “plaque,” a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on teeth, causes the gums to become inflamed. In the mildest form of the disease, gingivitis, the gums redden, swell and bleed easily. Gingivitis is often caused by inadequate oral hygiene. Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and good oral home care.
Untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread and grow below the gum line. Toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums. Gums can then separate from the teeth, forming spaces between the teeth and gums that become infected. As the disease progresses, gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Eventually, teeth can become loose and may have to be removed by periodontal surgery.
The main cause of periodontal disease is bacterial plaque. However, factors such as genetics, pregnancy, puberty, poor nutrition, stress, smoking, diabetes and other systemic diseases, and medications can contribute to periodontal disease. Antibiotics are often used in combination with mechanical plaque removal (scaling) in the treatment of more advanced periodontal disease. Nevertheless periodontal disease remains the cause of significant morbidity and expense to society. Accordingly, there is a need for additional novel effective treatments for periodontal disease.
In particular, root canal infection, an infectious disease of bacterial etiology, is an important cause of tooth loss in the world. Current therapeutic modalities include scaling and root plaining of the surfaces of the teeth to eliminate bacterial plaque and calculus, and the use of antiseptic solutions to combat the infectious process caused by a wide spectrum of oral micro-organisms. These antiseptics, however, have high toxicity and consequently cannot be used for prolonged periods. In addition, some of the commonly used antiseptics have adverse side effects such as distortion of taste and staining of teeth.
Oxidative reductive potential (ORP) water, also known as super-oxidized water, can be used as a non-toxic disinfectant to eradicate microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses and spores, in variety of settings. For example, ORP water may be applied in the healthcare and medical device fields to disinfect surfaces and medical equipment. Advantageously, ORP water is environmentally safe and, thus, avoids the need for costly disposal procedures. ORP water also has application in wound care, medical device sterilization, food sterilization, hospitals, consumer households and anti-bioterrorism.
Although ORP water is an effective disinfectant, it has an extremely limited shelf-life, usually only a few hours. As a result of this short lifespan, the production of ORP water must take place in close proximity to where ORP water is to be used as a disinfectant. This means that a healthcare facility, such as a hospital, must purchase, house and maintain the equipment necessary to produce ORP water. Additionally, prior manufacturing techniques have not been able to produce sufficient commercial-scale quantities of ORP water to permit its widespread use as a disinfectant at healthcare facilities.
Accordingly, a need exists for an ORP water that is stable over an extended period of time and methods of using such an ORP water. A need also exists for cost-effective methods of preparing commercial-scale quantities of ORP water. The present invention provides such an ORP water and methods of preparing and using such an ORP water.
ORP water has also been used as a tissue cell growth promoter in patients as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0160053 A1. However, the application of water that quickly loses contact with tissue does not maximize the effectiveness of the treatment. Accordingly, a need exists for compositions containing ORP water that remain in contact with the tissue being treated and that are stable over an extended period of time. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.